A historic legislative provision granting federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina was included in the extensive 3,086-page National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2026, a massive defense spending bill released by congressional leaders on Sunday. The NDAA, which is the annual legislation authorizing funding for the Department of Defense, nuclear weapons programs under the Department of Energy, and various defense-related activities, frequently serves as

A bipartisan coalition of legislators on Thursday formally reintroduced the Native American Seeds Act of 2025, a critical piece of legislation designed to bolster the capacity of Tribal nations to protect and preserve culturally significant seeds now increasingly threatened by the pressures of climate change, environmental contamination, and other systemic hazards. The bill, shepherded in the House by Representatives Norma J. Torres (D-Calif.) and Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), and

The United States Senate delivered a strong, bipartisan reaffirmation of federal commitment to Tribal Nations on Wednesday by successfully passing a resolution formally recognizing November 2025 as National Native American Heritage Month. This resolution serves to honor the rich cultures, complex histories, and profound contributions that Native Americans have made to the tapestry of the United States. A Call for Action and Partnership The measure was championed by the leader

A significant new legal challenge to state authority has been mounted in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, where the Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and Cherokee Nation have jointly filed a federal lawsuit. The suit alleges that Governor Kevin Stitt and various state officials are unlawfully prosecuting Tribal citizens for hunting and fishing activities conducted on Tribal lands. The lawsuit, filed on a Monday, names Governor Stitt,

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced on Wednesday a comprehensive plan to significantly overhaul its Tribal broadband programs. The agency's goal is to reduce bureaucratic obstacles, enhance funding flexibility, and more effectively align grant opportunities with the crucial connectivity needs of Tribal nations across the United States. A Strategic Realignment for Enhanced ImpactThe anticipated reforms a

The protracted forty-three-day shuttering of U.S. government services, caused by congressional disputes over federal spending, has officially concluded with the signing of a new spending bill. Following the House of Representatives' approval of the necessary legislation on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump signed the bill into law, immediately authorizing funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This action ensures full payment of benefits to th

The Lytton Rancheria of California, a federally recognized American Indian tribe, has officially entered into a definitive agreement with Cadiz Inc. (NASDAQ: CDZI), securing up to $51 million in capital for the initial phase of the company's ambitious Mojave Groundwater Bank project. This agreement, announced on Tuesday, marks the first Tribal investment in the project, which is widely expected to become the largest groundwater bank in the Southwest United States. A New Model

Candidate for New Mexico Governor, Deb Haaland, recently met with influential community leaders from the South Valley Regional Acequia, alongside State Senator Linda Lopez and Representative Patricia Roybal Caballero, to formally announce her staunch support for securing annual and permanent funding dedicated to the state’s land grants and acequias. The Sunday gathering critically focused on the importance of sustaining and protecting New Mexico’s traditional land and water m

The U.S. Department of the Interior has unveiled a comprehensive set of initiatives designed to strategically expand energy development, modernize the management of land and resources, and significantly improve public health and safety across the state of Alaska. The announcement, delivered during a key event attended by Alaska’s congressional delegation and the Governor, details several major actions that collectively aim to reduce regulatory barriers, empower local communit

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed three pivotal pieces of legislation focused on Indigenous issues and simultaneously issued an official proclamation recognizing the significance of California Native American Day. The bills, all authored by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), the first and only California Native American elected to the State Legislature since statehood, address core issues including the protection of tribal cultural expression, the long-ov

The Morongo Band of Mission Indians has decisively affirmed its longstanding dedication to enhancing community welfare by providing a significant $100,000 donation to the Animal Action League. This non-profit organization is devoted to providing low-cost spay, neuter, and vaccination services for cats and dogs within underserved regions of California. These newly allocated funds are earmarked to fulfill a matching grant that the Animal Action League successfully secured for t

With crucial, transformative support from the Mellon Foundation, the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida) is vigorously advancing a bold vision of Tribal co-stewardship at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area (MGRA), known traditionally as Áakʼw Tʼáak Sít’ and Sít’ Aant’aakú. This historic investment marks a significant and influential milestone in the Tribe’s growing leadership role in the management and cultural interpretation o

On Wednesday, August 27th, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a crucial roundtable discussion at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, bringing together leadership from the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN), the ANCSA Regional Association (ARA), and the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association (ANVCA). The focused event addressed pressing issues impacting Alaska Native communities, underscoring the vital relationship between federal policy and local sovereignty.

In a highly significant development concerning the fundamental right to vote, the U.S. Supreme Court has granted a critical stay in a closely monitored legal challenge involving Native American voters in North Dakota. This decision represents a major victory for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, the Spirit Lake Nation, and individual Native voters who initially succeeded in challenging the state’s 2021 redistricting plan, only to face a subsequent ruling by the Ei

A significant bipartisan legislative effort is underway in the U.S. Congress, with Representatives Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) and Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) announcing their plan to introduce legislation aimed at permanently expanding Tribal control over a vital federal food assistance program that currently provides aid to nearly 650,000 Tribal members. The proposed measure, titled the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) Act of 2025, would eliminate the temporar

Construction has officially commenced on a major new infrastructure project, the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant, which is being built along Navajo Route 36 near Shiprock, New Mexico. Estimated to cost $267 million and slated for completion by late 2028, this facility is projected to play a vital role in securing access to clean drinking water for more than 200,000 people over the next four decades, including residents of surrounding communities in Arizona. A Groundbre

Oklahoma tribes are celebrating a ruling by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, which overturned a lower court's decision in...

The United States Supreme Court has issued a ruling that protects tribal sovereignty and the rights of Native American families in...

On Tuesday, December 27, President Biden signed the Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes...

After 350 years of displacement, the Rappahannock Tribe has finally returned home. In what the tribe is calling a historic victory for...